Machines for scouring the breast flaps of louis heels



Nov. 29, 1955 g, JAMES 2,724Q938 MACHINE S- FOR SCOURING THE BREAST FLAPS OF LOUIS HEELS Filed Feb. 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l (((lllllll Inventor Nov. 29, 1955 c. H. JAMES 2,724,938

MACHINES FOR SCOURING THE BREAST FLAPS OF "LOUIS HEELS Filed Feb. 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 26 Jay 3 42 6'2 United States Patent MACHINES FOR SCOURING THE BREAST FLAPS OF LOUIS HEELS Cyril Harry James, Leicester, England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 17, 1953, Serial No. 337,407

Claims priority, application Great Britain March 1, 1952 3 Claims. (Cl. 51-273) This invention relates. to machines for scouring the breast flaps of Louis heels and it is disclosed herein'as embodied in a machine having a scouring tool of the rotary disk type such, for example, as that shown in United States Letters Patent No. 2,072,129, granted March 2, 1937, upon the'applicationof Fred Ricks and Ernest Hope. As such machines are ordinarily used, the scouring disk is. driven in a counterclockwise direction as seen from above and the shoe, with its toe end pointing to theoperators left, is held inverted with the heel to the right of the disk and the breast flap engaging the periphery of the disk. The dust driven off the work by the scouring disk is received by a suction dust hood at the rear of the disk.

Although the usual arrangement wherein the scouring disk is always driven in the same direction enables the operator to press each part of the heel breast flap against the. rim of the scouring disk, it is nevertherless subject to two disadvantages. In the first place, the edge of the breast flap. which is remote from the operator is invisible to him and therefore difiicult for him to scour evenly, since he must rely on touch and timing rather than sight while scouring that edge. In the second place, when the shoe is held. in the position above described while .scouring the portion of breast flap adjacent to the remote edge, the abrasive is running off the remote edge and is apt therefore to' leave the remote edge somewhat ragged and flu-fly.

With a view to overcomingthese disadvantages it has been proposed, in British Letters Patent No. 481,937, granted to- Liberty Shoes Limited and William Banner, to provide an arrangement wherein the direction of drive of the scouring disk can be reversed at will. Such an arrangement' enables the operator to scour the major portion of the heel breast flap, including the portion adjacent to the. near edge, while holding the shoe in the position already described; and he can then reverse the direction of rotation of the scouring disk and, holding the shoe with, its toe end pointingto his right and with the heel to the left of the disk, present the remaining portion of the flap. to: the periphery of the disk. What formerly was the. remote edge of the flap is now the near edge, plainly visible to: the operator, and he can sour evenly theportions of the flap. adjacent tothat edge. Furthermore, the reversal of the direction of drive of the disk and also of the position of the shoewill cause the abrasive to run. on, and not off, the edge under consideration and will result in a clean finish to that edge. However, in the use of the reversible drive arrangement, dust from the work is given off at either of two working localities on opposite sides respectively of the scouringdisk and it is necessary to provide a dust hood with an entrance opening wide enough to catch either stream of dust. The excessive width of such an entrance opening will, in the absence of some provision to the contrary, cause the suction draft at the opening to be distributed over a large area, a relatively large portion of which at any one. time is not receiving dust. The draft at the dust receiving, locality is thus renderedweaker than it would be in a hood having the usual relatively narrow 2,724,938 Patented Nov. 29, 1955 entrance opening, while the draft through the remaining portion of the entrance opening is wasted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a Louis heel breast scouring machine which will be free from the disadvantages above pointed out. Inaccordance with a feature or" the invention, the illustrated ma.- chine is provided not only with means for reversing the direction of drive of the scouring disk and with a dust hood having a suitably wide entrance opening, but also with means for restricting the draft through the hood to that portion of the entrance opening which is receiving dust at any one time, the reversing means and the draft controlling means being both conveniently operated by the same treadle.

This and other features of the invention including certain details of construction and combinations of parts will be set forth in connection with an illustrative machine an will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is an angular view of an illustrative machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of a mechanism for operating a reversing mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a section in front elevation taken through the axis of the reversing mechanism;

. Fig. 4 is aside elevation of the abrading tool in relation to the dust hood; and

Fig. 5' is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4..

The illustrated machine is provided with an abrading tool 2 of the inflatable rotary disk type such as is. disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,072,129 above referred to. This tool, which has a resilient rim covered with abrasive sheet material, is mounted on the lower end of a driven spindle 4, this spindle being so inclined from the vertical that its lower end, which carries the tool 2, is somewhat forward of its upper end. The spindle 4. is journaled in a. bracket 6 secured to a head 8 which. is clamped to a column 10' constituting the supporting structure of the machine, the column being shown only fragmentarily in the drawing. A pulley 12, secured upon the upper portion of the spindle 4, is driven by a belt 14 from a pulley 16- fixed upon a countershaft 18. The countershaft 18 is. journaled in a bracket 20 which is bolted to the head 8, the pulley 16 being mounted upon theright-hand end portion of the countershaft.

Upon the left-hand end portion of the countershaft 18 are secured, in side-by-side relation, two pulleys, 22' and.

24.. The. pulley 22 is connected by a crossed belt 26 a second driving pulley 30 by a belt 32 which is not. crossed. The driving pulleys 28 and 30 are mounted, in a manner later to be more fully explained, on a main drive shaft 34 (Fig... 3) which is driven by any suitable means. This drive shaft 34 is parallel to the countershaft' 18" and is journaled below it in a bracket 36 (Fig. 1) bolted, upon the column 10. The main shaft 34. projects to the left. of its. supporting bracket 36 and has formed in its projecting. portion a deep axial bore 38 in which is housed a clutch spring 40. The shaft 34" carries not only the driving pulleys 28 and 30. but also other components of a reversing mechanism 42 now beingv described.

A clutch disk 44 is fixed by a pin 45 upon the. projecting portion of the main shaft 34. The driving, pulley 28,.

on the left of the clutch. disk.44, is freely rotatable upon a bushing 46 which is slidable axially on the shaft 34.,

The driving pulley 28 is held substantially against axial movement to the right relative to its bushing 46 by' a washer 48, and against such relative axial movement to p An annular friction member 52 is secured upon the right-hand face of the pulley 28 and it projects axially beyond the washer 48 which is housed in a recess in the pulley. This friction disk engages the left-hand face of the clutch disk 44 when the pulley 28 is moved to the right.

The driving pulley 30, positioned on the right of the clutch disk 44, is freely rotatable on a bushing 54 which is axially slidable upon the shaft 34. The driving pulley is held substantially against axial movement to the left relative to its bushing 54 by a washer 56, and against such relative axial movement to the right by a collar 58. The washer 56 and the collar 58 abut the ends of the bushing 54, these three members being slidable as a unit upon the shaft 34, and the pulley 30 moving with them. An annular friction member 60 secured upon the lefthand face of the driving pulley 30 projects axially beyond the washer 56, which is housed in a recess in the pulley, and engages the right-hand face of the clutch disk 44 when the pulley 30 is moved to the left by means hereinafter to be described.

Two pins 62 are guided in bores formed in the clutch disk 44 for sliding movement parallel to the axis of the shaft 34 and they are clamped between the washers 48 and 56 by the spring through means hereinafter described. These pins insure that either driving pulley 28 or 30 is moved away from the clutch disk 44 as the other driving pulley moves into engagement with the clutch disk.

The driving pulley 30 is normally held in engagement with the clutch disk 44 by its collar 58 which is urged toward the left by the clutch spring 40. This clutch spring 40 is a compression spring with its right-hand end in abutting engagement with the base of the bore 38. The left-hand end of the spring 48 bears against a pin 64 extending transversely through slots 66 formed in the tubular portion of the shaft 34, the ends of the pin being secured in the collar 58. The slots 66 permit axial movement of the pin 64 and therefore of the pulley 30.

When the driving pulley 30 is held in engagement with the clutch disk 44 by the spring 40, the driving pulley 28 is held out of engagement with the clutch disk by the two sliding pins 62. With the pulleys 28 and 30 in this position the shaft 34 drives the countershaft 18 through the driving pulley 30 while the driving pulley 28 runs freely on its bushing 46, being driven idly by the countershaft.

The driving pulley 28 can be moved into engagement with the clutch disk 44 by movement of the collar toward the right, such movement of the collar being effected by means hereinafter described. The driving pulley 30 is then held out of engagement with the clutch disk 44 by the sliding pins 62, the right-hand ends of these sliding pins moving the washer 56 toward the right. When the pulleys are in this position the main shaft 34 drives the countershaft 18 through the pulley 28 while the pulley 30 runs freely on its bushing 54 being driven idly by the countershaft.

Since the belt 26 is crossed and the belt 32 is uncrossed, it is evident that operation of the mechanism 42 reverses the direction of rotation of the countershaft 18 and hence the direction of rotation of the abrading tool 2. Operation of the reversing mechanism 42 is effected through means comprising a bell crank clutch lever 68 fulcrumed upon a pin 70 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is secured in a bracket 72 bolted to the machine frame 10. An upward and forward reaching arm of the bell crank 68 is connected by a rod 69 to a treadle 74 and an upward and rearward extending arm has formed upon it a cam face 76 (Fig. 3). A tension spring 77 is interposed between the upper end of the rod 69 and the arm of the bell crank 68.

A treadle spring 78, interposed between a book 80 fixed in the bracket 72 and a hook 82 fixed in the treadle arm of the bell crank 68, tends to keep the treadle 74 raised. The hook 82 extends to the right through a hole 84 in a lug 86 integral with the clutch bracket 72, this hole being large enough to allow the bell crank 68 to rock through a limited angle. Such limitation of the rocking movement of the bell crank 68 insures that the cam face '76 will remain in engagement with a ball 88 (Fig. 3) lodged in the bore 38 of the shaft 34 and protruding slightly from the open end thereof. While the treadle 74 is held in its normal raised position by the spring 78, the cam face 76 merely prevents the ball 88 from escaping from the bore 38. Depression of the treadle 74 causes the cam face 7 6 to force the ball 88 further into the bore 33 while bearing against a pin 90 which extends transversely through slots 92 in the shaft 34 and has its end portions secured in the collar 50. The slots 92 afford the collar 50 a limited amount of axial movement. Depression of the treadle 74 thus forces the collar 50 to the right against the resistance of the spring 40, first freeing the driving pulley 30 from the clutch disk 44 and then engaging the driving pulley 28 with the clutch disk 44.

A dust hood 94 (Figs. 4 and 5) is arranged to shroud the rear portion of the abrading tool 2 to colleect the dust which arises when work is being scoured. This hood has an entrance opening of sufficient width to enable it to receive dust arising from the operation of diametrically opposite portions of the abrading tool which are located on either the rightor the left-hand edges of the abrading tool according to the direction of rotation of the tool. This dust travels rearwardly in one or the other of two paths which are spaced apart from each other by the distance between the localities of the tool to which the work is presented, both paths leading into the wide entrance opening of the hood. The rear portion of the hood 94 is in the form of an exhaust duct 96 which is connected to the usual factory suction exhaust system. The entrance opening of the hood 94 (as seen from in front of the machine) is in approximately the form of a rectangle with rounded corners, except that the upper edge of the hood extends over the rim of the tool toward the spindle 4 in the form of an obtuse V. The entrance opening is somewhat wider than the diameter of the tool 2 and it extends about an inch above and an inch below the rim of the tool. From this entrance opening the hood 94 converges smoothly into the exhaust duct 96 which lies directly behind the right-hand working portion of the abrading tool 2. This position of the exhaust duct 96 is advantageous in the normal course of operation in which the work is presented to the right-hand edge of the abrading tool, although it entails some loss of efiiciency when the operation is conducted on the left-hand side of the abrading tool.

A substantially vertical partition 98 divides the entrance opening into rightand left-hand channels. The rear edge of the partition 98 is disposed centrally of the exhaust duct 96 at a locality wherein the exhaust duct joins a flared forward portion of the dust hood. The rear portion of the partition 98 is substantially straight and as the partition extends forward it curves to the left. The forward edge of this partition is notched to clear the abrading tool 2 and the forward portion of the partition consists of upper and lower extensions 100 and 102 cmbracing the rim of the tool and reaching forward to the upper and lower edges respectively of the entrance opening of the hood.

A valve flap 104 is hinged at its forward edge upon a pintle 106 secured to the rearward edge of the partition 98. The pintle 106 is substantially vertical and it is positioned about three inches rearwardly of the rearmost part of the rim of the abrading tool 2. The valve flap 104 is so shaped as to close one or the other of the channels into which the partition 98 divides the forward portion of the hood 94 when the valve flap 104 is swung to the right or to the left. When the valve flap 104 is swung to the left the left-hand side of the hood is sealed from the dust exhausting system while the right-hand side of the hood is opened to the dust exhausting system. Conversely, when the flap is swung to the right the righthand side of the hood is sealed off from the dust exhausting system and the left-hand side of the hood is opened to the dust exhausting system.

The valve flap 1&4 is operated by a bell crank 108 (Fig. 1) fulcrumed upon a pin 110 secured in the bracket 6. The pin 110 is located at the left-hand side of the exhaust duct 96 about on a level with the upper part of the duct and adjacent to the rear end of the valve flap 104, the axis of the pin extending from front to rear. One arm of the bell crank 108 extends up and to the left and is connected by a rod 111 to the treadle 74. The other arm extends down and to the left and is connected to the rear end portion of the valve flap 104 by a link 112 passing through a hole in the side of the exhaust duct. Loosely mounted on the link 112 to embrace the valve flap 104 and backed by cotter pins is a pair of washers 113. Depression of the treadle 74 serves not only to reverse the direction of rotation of the abrading tool 2 but also to move the flap valve 1M to connect the left-hand side of the hood 94 to the exhaust duct while closing off the right-hand side of the hood.

In normal operation of the machine, with the treadle 74 raised and the abrading tool 2 turning counterclockwise (as seen from above), the operator presents the Louis heel breast flap of an inverted shoe to the righthand side of the abrading tool with the toe of the shoe pointing to his left. As he scours the flap in this position the dust driven off by the abrading tool is thrown into the right-hand side of the hood whence it is drawn through the right-hand channel and the exhaust duct into the factory dust exhausting system. The operator is thus able to scour satisfactorily the principal area of the flap and also that portion of the surface of the flap which is toward him. He can then reverse the direction of the shoe and, holding it with its toe end pointing toward his right, present the edge portion of the heel breast flap to the left side of the tool. Before doing so, however, he depresses the treadle and thereby not only reverses the direction of rotation of the abrading tool but also opens the left-hand channel of the dust hood to the dust exhausting system and closes the right-hand channel thereto. While holding the shoe in this position he has a clear view of the edge portion of the heel breast flap upon which he is working.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an abrading machine, a driven rotary abrading tool to diametrically opposite portions of which an operator facing the front of the machine can present a work piece to cause dust from the work to be driven rearwardly away from him in one of two paths according to the direction of rotation of the tool, means for reversing the direction of rotation of the tool, a suction dust hood positioned rearwardly of the tool and having an entrance opening adjacent to the tool wide enough to receive the dust stream traveling along either path, means for restricting the suction draft through the hoe-1i to either of two portions widthwise of the entrance opening, which portions respectively are in the paths of the two dust streams, and connections between the reversing means and the restricting means whereby the operations of both means are coordinated to insure that the full force of the draft will be applied where needed.

2. In a machine for scouring Louis heel breast flaps, a driven rotary abrading disk to the periphery of which an operator facing the front of the machine can present the breast flap of a Louis heel of a shoe while holding the shoe alternatively in positions wherein the toe end of the shoe points toward his left and toward his right, means for reversing the direction of rotation of the disk whereby the operator can cause the disk to turn in a direction to drive dust from the work rearwardly away from him for either of said positions in which he holds the shoe, a suction dust hood positioned rearwardly of the disk and having a wide entrance opening adjacent to the disk whereby the right-hand portion or the lefthand portion of the entrance opening will receive dust driven off the work by the disk in accordance with the direction of rotation of the disk and the position in which the shoe is held, means for restricting the suction draft through the hood to the right-hand portion or the lefthand portion of the entrance opening, and connections be tween the reversing means and the restricting means where-- by the operations of both means are coordinated to insure that the full force of the draft will be applied where needed.

3. In a machine for scouring Louis heel breast flaps, a rotary abrading disk to the periphery of which an operator facing the front of the machine can present the breast flap of a Louis heel of a shoe while holding the shoe alternatively in positions wherein the toe end of the shoe points toward his left and toward his right, a driven main shaft, a countershaft, driving connections from the countershaft to the disk, a reversing mechanism through which the main shaft drives the countershaft in either of two directions, a spring associated with said reversing mechanism for causing the reversing mechanism normally to transmit drive to the countershaft in a given direction, a treadle, connections from the treadle to the reversing mechanism whereby the operator in opposition to said spring can cause the reversing mechanism to transmit drive to the countershaft in the opposite direction, a suction dust hood positioned rearwardly of the disk and having a wide entrance opening adjacent to the disk whereby the right-hand portion or the left-hand portion of the opening will receive dust driven off the work by the disk in accordance with the direction of rotation of the disk and the position in which the shoe is held, means for restricting the suction draft through the hood to the right-hand portion or the left-hand portion of the entrance opening, and connections from the treadle to said restricting means whereby the draft through the dust hood is restricted to the rightor left-hand portion of the entrance opening in accordance with the direction of rotation of the disk.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,167,521 Reed Jan. 11, 1916 1,308,961 Power July 8, 191.9 2,219,444 Eserkaln et al. Oct. 29, 1940 

